Bethlehem siblings charged after naked children found inside 'deplorable' home

Two adult siblings are charged after three naked children were found Thursday in a "deplorable" home, tossing hypodermic needles out an open third-floor window, Bethlehem police said.

Crystal Ortiz, 20, and Daniel Ortiz, 18, both are charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children, police said. Crystal Ortiz is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

The three children — two 2 1/2-year-old girls and a 2-year-old boy — are in the care of Northampton County Children and Youth, police said. On Thursday afternoon, the children were being evaluated at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, police said.

Bethlehem police Lt. William Dosedlo said the third-floor room where the children were found was "deplorable," filled with dirty diapers and many hypodermic needles.

"When you see kids in that kind of condition, your heart just breaks for them," Dosedlo said.

According to police:

Around 11:30 a.m., police were called to a home in the 1200 block of East Third Street on a report of three small children throwing needles out an open window.

HANDOUT, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON

Crystal Ortiz, 20, of Bethlehem, is charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children as well as possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Crystal Ortiz, 20, of Bethlehem, is charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children as well as possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

(HANDOUT, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON)

Officers knocked at the front door for nearly 20 minutes with no answer. Police said they could hear children crying and found hypodermic needles on the sidewalk beneath the open window.

Police said Daniel Ortiz, whose last known address was in the 600 block of Atlantic Street, was in the home sleeping on a couch.

Crystal Ortiz was found sleeping in a bedroom, police said. At her bedside, police said they found a small amount of marijuana.

The children were found in the attic of the home. The children appeared to have no injuries, but were smeared with feces from the diapers, police said.

Bethlehem health inspectors also were called to the property, police said.